tallman



3 Sheets-Sheet 1.

(No Model.)

J. 0. TALLMAN.

NURSING CORSET.

Patented Nov. 23, 1886.

InUEnfur':

N. PETERS Plvblo-Lxtbcgmphar. Washlnglon. 1c,

(No Model.) 7 3 Sheets-Sheet 2.

J. C. TALLMAN.

NURSING CORSET.

No. 353,093. Patented Nov. 23, 1886.

N, PETERS. P nmnnm m lmr. washing (on. u. c,

3 Sheets$heet 3. J. 0. T ALLMAN. NURSING CORSET.

Patented Nov. 23, 1886 54% HWW (No Model.)

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN C. TALLMAN, OF BBIDGEPORT, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR TO \VARNER BROS, OF SAME PLACE.

NURSING-CORSET.

SPECIFICATION iorming part of Letters Patent No. 353,093, dated November 23, 1886.

Application filed August 14, 1885. Serial No. 174,358. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, JOHN C. TALLMAN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Bridgeport, in the county of Fairfield and State of Connecticut, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Nursing Corsets, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to certain improvements in corsets; and it consists in providing a nursing-corset with fixed breast portions having recesses at the upper edges, and with pivoted flaps or covering-pieces pivoted at the edges of the recesses to swing laterally in contact with the face of the corset, and connec tions for detachably attaching the free end of the flap to hold it in position, all as set forth hereinafter, so asto permit the recesses to be covered or uncovered without necessarily dis arranging the dress of the wearer further than is necessary to expose the recesses.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of a corset illustrating myimprovement, showing one of the recesses covered and the other exposed. Fig. 2 is a front view of one section of a corset, showing the flap turned down,exposingtherecess. Fig.3isasideview.

The corset may be of any of the usual construetions and stiffened in any suitable man ner, and consists of the two portions A A,

having the usual breast portion, a a, and each of the latter is cut away to a slight extent to form at the upper edge a recess, a, which is open at the top.

At one side of each recess a, preferably at a 5 that side of the recess of each breast portion which is farthest from the central corset spring or clasp, d, is pivoted or hung,by means of an eyelet, e, or in any other suitable manner, a flap, D, provided with eyes i at the outer end,

adapted for connection to ahook, s, at the side of the opening 00 nearest the clasp d, so that the said flap may be retained by the said hook in the position shown at the right in Fig. 1.

The flap D is rounded to conform to the shape of the breast portion a of the corset, and projects above the upper edge to constitute a continuation and extension of the latter when it is in an elevated position, and is stiffened by ribs or bones, or is made of a suitablystiff material, so as to retain its shape. The body of as not to depend upon theflap for its shape and stiffness.

In nursing-corsets of the ordinary construction the breast portions are sometimesprovided with central openings covered or crossed at the top by portions of the corset, which insures the retention of the shape of the corset, but renders it impossible for corsets of the 6o same waist dimensions to be used by all persons having the same waist measurement. Such construction is therefore capable but of limited use and sale. To avoid these objections it has been common to form the breast portions of corsets with recesses in the upper edges, and to provide them with covering portions; but in all such cases the connection of the covering portions with the corsets have been such as to prevent the ready adjustment of such portions, rendering it difficult to move them from one position to another without disarranging to a great degree the dress of the wearer.

By the construction above described I am on abled to carry the flap to its upward position to cover the opening 00, or to freely expose the latter without any other adjustment of the dress than is necessary to expose the opening .90. This results from the fact that the covering portion or flap D conforms to the shape of the breast portion of the corset and is somewhat stiff, which permits it to be swung sidewise toward the arm and away from the opening x,and between the outer face of the corset and the dress, and to be as readily carried back from the position shown in Fig. 2 to the position shown at the right in Fig. 1. and when in the position shown in Fig. 2 it constitutes no protuberance or projection, interfering with the set of the dress 0- upon the wearer. i

It will be obvious that the flap D may be connected at the point 6 otherwise than as described, so as to permit the adjustment of the flap. For instance, it may be hinged at one 5 side or tied by means of a cord at this point, and any other fastening device may be substituted' for the hook 8. When the said hook is used, there may be two or more eyelets, i, arranged so as to permit the flap to be connected 10o to the hook at different points, thereby better adapting the corset for use by wearers of different sizes or forms, and permitting such an adjustment of the flap as may be required to extend the height of the corset to a greater or less extent.

Although I have illustrated and described the flaps D as being upon the outer side of the corset, it will be apparent that they may be placed within the same, so as to be turned downward between the corset and the body of the wearer.

In some cases it is desirable to cut away the hip portions of a corset; but it has heretofore been found difficult to hold the corset close to the body at the lower edge and to permit itto accommodate itself to the movements of the body at the side above the hip. Tooverconie these objections I cut away the hip portion at c, Fig. 3, and I form pockets at 1ft, following the lower edge of the corset across the hip, in

which I insert parallel bones or stiffening-ribs,

which extend unbroken over the hip and to' the front and back of the corset.

It will be seen that the forward and rear ends of the bones or stiffeners extend downward, so as to bend, to prevent these portions of the corset from bending out or curling upward, while the central parts above the hip are parallel, so that this portion will bend when the wearer leans to one side, thereby preventing the discomfort which would otherwise result.

It will be evident that there may be any suitable number of parallel bones arrangethas described, to cross at or above the hip and ex; tend down at the front and rear, and that they may be arranged in close proximity, as shown,

tions for detachably attaching the free end of the flap to the top of the corset at the inner edge of the recess, substantially as described.

2. The combination, with a corset having fixed projecting breast portions 64 and recesses 00, open at the upper edges thereof, of rounded and stiffened flaps D, each pivoted at one end at one side of the said recesses to swing laterally in contact with the face of the corset, and connections for attaching the opposite end at the opposite side of said recess, substantially as described.

3. The combination of a corset-body having fixed breast portions with recesses open at the upper edges, and pivoted flaps connected to constitute upward extensions of thee corset above the lower breast portions, and to swing laterally in contact with the face of the corset, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

JOHN C. TALLMAN. 

